Uncovering the Role of Gut Taste Receptors in Food Preference, Weight Loss, and Metabolic Improvements after Bariatric Surgery

Patients undergoing weight loss surgery can expect to lose 20-30% of their body weight. With most able to sustain that loss for at least 10 years. An unintended but common outcome is a reduced preference for sweet and fatty foods. We currently do not know why patients chose healthier food options after weight loss surgery. One theory involves changes to taste gut receptors. The same taste receptors found in taste buds on the tongue are also located all the way along the gut where they "sense" the presence of food. Whether these taste receptors after weight loss surgery is currently unknown.

This study will use samples of tissue from the intestines of participants undergoing sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass to track changes in gut taste receptors. Stomach and small intestine biopsies will be collected from participants via gastroscopy prior to their surgery, during the surgery (following a 2-week very low calorie diet), and approximately 12-months after surgery. This tissue analysis will be compared to the food preferences, alcohol intake, weight loss, and blood markers of obesity-related conditions before and after surgery. This will tell us if gut taste receptors play a role in producing the effects of bariatric surgery.

Aim:

• To investigate the role of gut taste receptors in taste perception and food preferences.

• To investigate the impact of bariatric surgery on the expression and function of gut sweet and fatty acid taste receptors.

• To investigate the potential of gut taste receptors as a non invasive treatment for obesity targeting food preferences and eating beahaviours.